Steam-generator.



110.- 738,664. 1 v 1 1 1112E1WED sEPT.s,19os. "0.- GEOMETON.' r STEAMGENERATOR.

APPLIGATIoN EILEn EEB. 12, 1962.

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PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903..

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` STEAM GENERATOR. APPLICATION PIIQBDFEB. 12, 1902.

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PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

G. CROMPTON.

STEAM GENERATOR. APPLICATION FINLBD PEB. 12, 1992.

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STEAM (ZrENERA'I'OR.V APPLIGATION FILEDVPB'B. 12, 1902.

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ita-738,664.

Patented September 8, 190l FFICE. y

ci-IARLEScnoMProN, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS STEAM-G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 738,664, dated September8, 19.03.

Application filed February 12l 1902. Serial No. 93,680. (No model.) i

following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification,

like letters on the drawings represen ting like parts.

This invention relates to steam-generators such as are adapted for usein connection with motor-vehicles which use steam as the motive power;and the object of the invention is to provide a novel form of boilermechanism wherein a large amount of heating-surface is provided, so thatthe steam may be generated rapidly.

In constructing my steam-generator I prefer to use what I term a batteryof boilers, the said battery comprising a plurality of in.-

i dependent boilers which are con nected to each other both above andbelow the water-line, whereby the water-level in all of the boilersremains the same, and the same feed-pump mechanism will operate to feedwater to all of.

the boilers of the series. The boilers are so constructed that shouldany one boiler become damaged the communication between the said boilerand the remaining boilers is shut off, thereby cutting the said boilerout of the series without in any way aifecting the operation of theremaining boilers. Any suitable means may beemployed for furnishing heatto the boilers, and for conveniencel have illustrated one form of burneradapted to burn gasolcne and so constructed and connected with theengine that the exhaust-steam from theengine is delivered to the burnerand `is thereby partially or wholly consumed. This construction ofboiler and heating device makes my invention especially applicabletomotor-vehicles, fora large amount of heating,-

surface is obtained and the exhaust-steam is substantially destroyed bypassing the same through the burner, with the result that any annoyancewhich comes from the escaping steam in the common form ofsteam -drivonvehicles is entirely avoided.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section through therear portion of' the body of a motor-vehicle having my improved boileror steam -generator applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the steam-genen ator. Fig. 3 is atransverse section substantially on the line x o0, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is anena larged vertical section of one of the boilers. Fig; 5 is a detailshowing the lay-out of the water-pipes connecting the boilers, and Fig.6 is a detail of the smoke-due.

Although I have herein described my invention as it will preferably beconstructed when applied to a steam-driven motor-vehicle, yet I wish itunderstood that my invention is not limited to motor-vehicles, but maybe used in steam-yachts or in any other Aplace where a steam-generatoris required.

My steam-generator comprises a series of boilers which are connectedtogether to form what I have termed a battery of boilers,

'and said boilers are so connected that the steam generated in eachboiler passes to a common steam-drum, the connection being such that thewater-level in all the boilers will remain the same. Preferably whenapplied to a steam-driven motor-vehicle I use two such batteries ofboilers, as shown in Fig. 2, the said boilers being supported in therear portion of the vbody of the vehicle and having between them thesteam-engine a.,

`which may be of any suitable type, the said steam-engine beingconnected by any suitable or usual gearing with the driven axle of thevehicle. The steam-engine I have herein chosen to illustrate is the sameas that dei scribed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No.76,549, tiled September 25, 1901, and the driving-gear for connectingthe engine with the driven axle of the vehicle will `be the same as thatillustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 76,548, tiledSeptember 25, 1901. Further description of the engine and drivingmechanism therefore is unnecessary in this application.

The individual boilers each comprise a boiler-shell 3 of suitablematerial, such as steel plate, and which is shown in Fig. l ascup-shaped, ithaving the outwardly-turned 'flange 4. atthe upper endthereof, which is secured to the plate 5 in any suitable Way, as byrivets. The plate 5, which I will hereinafter term the boiler-plate,thus forms the `top or head of each of the boilers in either battery,(see Fig. 1,) and the said plate, with other heat-resisting material.

the boilers attached, is secured in position in any suitable way, as bybolting the same at its ends to the channel-iron cross-pieces 6, whichextend across the body of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 1, and atitssides to the side pieces 14 of the vehicle by means of suitableangle-irons 15. (See Fig. 3.)

I will preferably copper-plate each individual boiler 3 both inside andoutside, such copper-plating filling up any crackswhich mayl exist andrendering the boiler non-corrosive.

It is understood that there is one boilerplate 5 for each battery ofboilers, and secured to the boiler-plate and` surrounding each batteryis a suitable wall 7, forming a casing which incloses the boilers of thebattery, the said casing having in its lower portion any suitable burnerfor heating the water in the boilers. It will thus be seen that theplate 5 forms a partition which extends across the casing and that thecompartment beneath the partition constitutes a combustion-chamber. Thewalls of the casing preferably will be made of any suitablenoncombustible material, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, they compriseinner and outer metallic walls having a filling of asbestos or The lowerportion of the casing will be provided on the sides and back with theshoulders 8, which are adapted to rest upon the framing 9 of thevehicle-frame to thus support the casing in proper position.

Each boiler has a series of tlues or boilertubes 10 passing through thesame, the said tubes being connected in any suitable way at the lowerend in the bottom 11 of the boiler and being fastened at their upper endin the boiler-plate 5, as plainly seen in Fig. 4.

By using a series of independent boilers secured to a boiler-plate 5 insuch a way as to leave a space between the separate boilers it will beseen that the heating-surface which y is provided is the entireheating-surface of the [lues 10 of the boilers and also the entireoutersurfaceof each boiler, for the heat from V1he burner beneath theboilers will pass upwardly around all the boilers and upon striking theplate 5 will be deiected downward and thence upward through the fines10.

Above each battery of boilers is a smokechamber 12, said chamber beingformed by the boiler-plate 5 and the top plate 17, of any suitablematerial, which forms the top of the body of the vehicle and which isbolted at its front and rear ends to the upper sides of thechannel-irons b', as seen in Fig. 1. The top plates 17 will preferablyeach have a lining 18 ofa suitable non-heat-conducting material, such asasbestos, to prevent the plate` 17 from becoming too hot, and betweenthe plates 17 is the engine-plate 23, which is secured at its front andrear ends tothe channel-iron 6 and to which the supporting-plate 24 ofthe engine is bolted, as described in my copending application, SerialNo. 76,548, filed September25, 1901. The plate 23 is supported centrallyof its length bystuds 25, conwardly above the plate o, as shown at 18',

Fig. 3, and are connected in any suitable way p with the engine-plate23, thus forming, with the upper plate 17 and the boiler-plate 5, thesmoke chamber 12, above described, into which the products of combustionpass from the boiler-tubes 10, the said smoke-chamber having thesmoke-fines 13, through which the said products of combustion escape tothe air. The smoke-chambers 12 above each battery of boilersare-independent from each other and each have a smoke-flue 13. With thisconstruction the casings 7 are each divided by the plate or partition5'into two compartments, one of which (that beneath the partition)constitutes the combustion-chamber and has the boilers includedtherewith and the other (that above the partition) constitutes asmoke-chamber, into which the ues from each of the boilers open.

Fig. 6 illustrates in detail the construction of thesmoke-flue, itcomprising the stem having the hollow head portion 19, provided at eachend with a hood 21, said hood being connected to the head 19 bysuitable. arms, so as to leave a passage between the same and the headfor the escape of the products of combnstion. This construction of hoodis especially advantageous, for it allows for a perfect draft regardlessof the direction of movement of the vehicle, and the hood portions 2lprevent a back draft.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, itwill be seen that each boilerisconnected at its upper end or above the water-line by means ofsteampipes with a common steam-pipe 26, which is in the nature of asteam-drum, and the two steam-drums 26 are connected by a valvedconnection 27, one of said steam-pipes being connected by a pipe 28 withthe valve-chest of the steam-engine. The lower end of each boiler isconnected to a system of connected water-pipes, so that the water in thevarious individual boilers has the same level, and said connected systemof water-pipes is preferably connected to a suitable pump for supplyingwater to the boilers.

Fig. 5 shows the lay-out of the water-pipes underneath the boilers, andit will be seen that thereare a series of connected pipes 29 situatedunder each battery of boilers, said two series of pipes being connectedtogether at one end, as at 30.

I have arranged my boilers of each battery in parallel rows, as seen inFig. 2, and a pipe 29 extends under each row of boilers, and each pipe29 has the upwardly-projecting nipple 35, whichprojects into the boiler.The

pipes 29 are connected in any suitable Way with any usual mechanism forsupplying water to the boilers, one form of such mechanism being shownas a feed-pump 31, operated from the crank-shaft 32 of the engine andIIO communicating with the connection 30, the

said pump taking water through the pipe 31 from thewater-tank 34, whichis preferably `placed under the seat of the vehicle.

per end into the plate .5, the upper screw-` threaded end of the pipe 40being enlarged somewhat to form a suitablevalve-seat41 forthecheck-valve 42. Thesteam-pipes 43,

which `extend over eachrow of boilers *and which rare` connected to the`steam-drum 26, have the depending nipples 44, which are coupled to theupper projecting ends of thepipe "byany suitable means, such as nuts 45.It will thus be seen that the water-pipesand the steam-pipes areconnected by perforated pipes which extend through each ofthe boil# ers,and a check-valve `is employed ateither end of said perforated pipe,which seats toward the boiler. 2 i

From the above description it will be seen that the weight ofi-thecheck-valves38 at the lower end of the perforated pipe will `normallyhold the same open, the said checkvalves being supported by any suitablestops,

such as pins 46, and that therefore each boiler hasta normally openconnection with the water-pipes and with the feed-pump, so that thewater-level in all of the boilers will remain `the same, and thefeed-pump operates to supply water to each boiler, the waterl passinginto the nipples and through the lower apertures `in the pipe 40. Thesteam generated in each boilerpasses through the upper pe-rr `iforationsin the pipe 40 and thence into the ing to limit the -play of said valve.

steam-pipes 43 and to the steam-drum 26. The check-valve 42, which isnormally closed, is lifted by the steam-pressure and allows the steam toescape, suitable stops 46 serv- In case any one of the boilers shouldbecome damaged in any way, asif the boiler should burst or as if one ofthe boiler-fines should bf blown out, the pressure in such boiler willof course suddenly decrease, and thecheck-'valves 42 and 38 willinstantly beseated and shut off communication between said boiler andthe remaining boilers Each individual boiler is comparatively small insize, and therefore .even should any boiler explode comparatively littledamage would be done, for the mechani ism described instantly cuts oiflthe exploded boilerfrom the other boilers, which are inno way affected,and the engine can continue to As seen in Figs. 2 and 3,1the water-pipe30 is provided witha valve 30, wherebyA the supa ply of feedfwater maybe shut off from the a ii-ues and is thus burned with the 'fuel andrendered invisible.

`entire space beneath boilers of the battery at the left, Fig. 3, andtheconnec'tion 2,7 is provided with a valve 27, by means of whichconstruction both batteries of boilers or only one may be used, as`circum` stances require. When, therefore, only a small quantity ofsteam is required to propel the vehicle, the valves 27a`and` 30a may beclosed, in which case the left-hand batteryof boilers in Fig.` 3 wouldbe cut out and the other battery only would be available in generatingsteam, while when it is necessaryto utilize the full steaming capacityof the plant both of said valves will be open.

As seen in Fig. 2, the boiler-plate 5 is preferably provided with aplurality of small apertures 103 between the individual boilers, saidapertures in the event of an explosion allow- `ing some of thecompressed gases which are in the spaces between the boilers to passdi'- lieving the lifting force on said plate. AIt is the intention ofthe invention that in theorrdinary use of the boiler the hot gases whichpass in the spaces between the boilers will be deflected downward andwill pass into smoke-chamber through the fiues 10.

:rectly into the smoke-chamber, and thus re- Any suitable means may beemployed forv generating heat; but I have herein illustrated forconvenience a burner similar in some respects to that illustrated in mycopending application, Serial No. 76,547, ledSeptember 25, 1901, andinasmuch as the burner forms no `part of my presentinvention I willmerely briefly refer to the construction illustrated.

The lower part of each casing is illustrated as divided by thehorizontal partitions 50, 51, and 52 into the combustion-chamber 53, inwhich the boilers are situated, the vaporchamber 54, and the lowerchamber 55, into IOO which the exhaust-steam from the engine ct 1 isdelivered through the pipe 56.

57 is a pipe which connects with any suit` able source of gasolene orother hydrocarbonsupply and which opens into a valved chamber 58, saidchamber having a suitable nozzle to direct the vaporized fuel into thepipe 59, from which it is delivered to the vapor` chamber 54.

i Extending through the chambers 54 and .55

IIO

are a series of tubes 60, which are open at each end, the lower ends ofeach of the tubes having a series of apertures 6l opening into the:exhaust-chamber 55. Surrounding the upper end of each tube or flue60are a series of smallapertures 64, through which the vaporized fuelpasses into the combustion-cham- A ber, and by reason of thisconstructionrnot only is air drawn up through the fines 60" to aid incombustion, but the exhaust-steam from the chamberf55 is also admittedto the Although I have herein illustrated but a few gaseous of the flues60, it will be understood that the by suchflues.`

the boilers is` occupied 1 70'designates any suitable -regulatoreon-"m ftrolling .the valve in the chamber 58, said regulator being connected bya pipe 71 with the steam-drum, whereby the degree of opening in thevalve inthe chamber 58 is varied by the steam-pressure.

It will be understood that there is a burner beneath each battery ofboilers and that the said burners are separate from each other,

and consequently the parts above described as comprising the burner willbe duplicated.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the details ofconstruction herein illustrated may be varied without in any waydeparting from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore reserve theright to make any and all such changes as come within the spirit of theappended claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1.,In a steam-generator, a series of boilers, a feed-water pipe and asteam-drum communicating with all the boilers, and an automatic valve atboth the steam-outlet and water-inlet of each boiler, the valve at thesteamoutlet of each boiler being normally closed.

2. In a steam-generator, a seriesof boilers, a perforated pipe extendingthrough each boiler, a steam-drum connected to one end of each of saidpipes, a feed-water pipe connected to the other end of each of saidpipes, and an automatic valve at the steam-outlet and also at thesteam-inlet of each boiler.

3. In a steam-generator, a series of boilers, a perforated pipeextending vertically through each boiler, means for connecting saidperforated pipes both above and below the boilers, and check-valves ateach end of each of said pipes, whereby when the pressure in any oneboiler suddenly falls below that in the other boilers, the checkvalvesclose and cut olf communication between said boiler and the remainingboilers.

4. In a steam-generator, a series of boilers having communication witheach other both above and below. the water-line, and valves toautomatically close the communication between any one boiler and theremaining boilers when the pressure in any one boiler is suddenlyreduced, the valves which are situated above the water-line beingnormally l closed.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a plate, and a series of boilerssecured thereto, said plate forming the top of the boilers, said boilershaving communication with each other both above and below thewater-line.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a plate, a series of boilerssecured thereto, said plate forming the top of the boilers and saidboilers having normally open communication with each other both aboveand below the water-line, and means to automatically close thecommunication between any one boiler and the remaining boilers when thepressure in said boiler is suddenly reduced.

7.. In a steam-generator, a plate, a series of boilers connectedthereto, 'said plate forming' the top of the boilers, a perforated pipeconnected to the bottom of each boiler and extended through the plate, asteam-pipe connecting the upper ends of said perforated pipes, and meansfor connecting the lower ends thereof, whereby the same water-level isautomatically maintained in all the boilers.

8. In a steam-generator, a plate, a series of boilers connected thereto,said plate forming the top of the boilers, a perforated pipe connectedto the bottom of each boiler and extended through the plate, asteam-pipe connecting the upper ends of said perforated pipes, means forconnecting the lower ends thereof, and check-valves at the Lipper andlower ends of said perforated pipes, whereby when the pressure in anyone boiler suddenly vfalls below that in the others, the checkvalvesclose cpmmunication between said boiler and the remaining boilers.

' 9. In a steam-generator, a plate, a series of boilers secured to theplate, the plate forming the end of the boilers, ilues extending throughthe boilers and supported at one end by the boiler, and at the other endby the plate,and a combustion-chamber underneath all the boilers of theseries.

10. In a steam-generator, a plate, a series of boilers, each comprisinga cup-shaped boilershell secured to the plate, the said plate formingthe end of the boilers, flues extending through the boiler-shells, saidues being sup-V ported at one end in the bottom of the shells and at theother end in the said plate, a combustion-chamber underneath all theboilers of the series, said boilers being connected both above and belowthe water-line.

11. In a steam-generator, a casing, a partition extending across thesame and forming two chambers, one of said chambers being acombustion-chamber, a series of boilers secured to the under side ofsaid partition and inclosed in the combustion-chamber, the flues in theboilers opening into the other chamber.

12. In a steam-generator, a casing, a partition dividing the same into acombustionchamber and a smoke-chamber, a series of boilers secured toone side of the partition and inclosed in the combustion-chamber, asteam pipe or drum in the smoke-chamber, and connected to eachboiler,`and a communication between said boilers below the water-line.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, a plate and a series ofboilers secured thereto, said boilers having communication with eachother both above and below the waterline.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a plate, a series of boilerssecured thereto, said boilers having communication with each other bothabove and below the water-line, and means to automatically close thecommunication between any one boiler and the remaining boilers when thepressure in said `boiler is suddenly reduced.

15. In a steam-generator, a casi-ng, a plate or partition extendingacross the same and forming two chambers, one of which consti-4 i tutesa combustionfchamber, a series of boil- `tition extending across thesame and forming` two chambers, one of which constitutes acombustion-chamber, a plurality of connected boilers secured to theunder side of said partition and situated Within the combustionchamber,and means to cut out any one boiler of the series in case of accidentthereto.

18. A casing havinga plate or partition ex tending across the same, aburner supported by the casing.v at its bottom, the chamber formedbetween the burner and partition con `stituting a combustion-chamber,and a boiler supported by the partition, said boiler being separate fromthe casing and situated Within the combustion-chamber.

Y `19. In a steam-generator, a casing having a partition dividing itinto a smoke-chamber and a combustion-chamber, a burner supported by thecasing and forming the bottom of the combustion-chamber, and a boilersituated Within the ,combustion-chamber and `secured to the partitionsaid boiler being separate from the casing.

20. In a steam-generator, a casing having a partition dividing it into asmoke-chamber Aand a combustion-chamber, a burner supported by thecasing and forming the bottom of the combustion-chamber, and a pluralityof connected boilers situated Within the combustion-chamber and eachsecured to the partition, the llues of each boiler leading through thelatter and also through the partition..

In testimony whereof I have signed. my

`name to this specification in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

CHARLES CROMPTON.

` Witnesses:

HENRY W. KING, WARREN T. BARTLETT.

